Holidays in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has a holiday system different from the one of Mainland China. Due to its previous special status as a British colony and its present status of special administrative region of China, the city is influenced by a blend of Eastern and Western cultures. As a result, Hong Kong people celebrate some traditional Chinese festivals as well as some important western festivities.

Generally speaking, Hong Kong people do not work on Sundays. Besides, they legally enjoy public or statutory holidays. There are altogether 17 days’ public holidays each year, on which days the employees of banks, educational institutions, social institutions and government departments are free from work. Usually, those so-called ‘white collar workers’ are also given public holidays. Employees from the other industries, or so-called ‘blue collar workers’ only enjoy 12 days off per year, which are called statutory, labor or factory holidays. However, this is not absolute. Some employers of the ‘blue collar industries’ also give their employees 17 days off each year.

Christmas in Hong Kong

The 12 days’ statutory vacation include New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) and the two days following it, Qingming Festival, May Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, the day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day, Chongyang Festival, Christmas Day (or Winter Solstice). The public vacations include the above statutory days off and another five days: Good Friday and the day following it, Easter Monday, Buddha’s Birthday and the first weekday after Christmas Day.

Some employers may give their employees a day off on the Chinese Winter Solstice instead of Christmas Day, which is legally allowed. If any of these holidays fall on a Sunday or another holiday, the employees can be entitled to a day off on the following weekday.

According to unwritten rules, some institutions close early or do not open at all on the following days (although neither of them are legal holidays): Saturdays, Chinese New Year's Eve, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.